The effects of climate change and global warming are increasingly visible to everyone. The devastating fires that affected Sicily this summer may be the most clear example of this. Palermo-based artist Igor Scalisi Palmintieri shows how art can be a means to raise awareness about these catastrophic events. Fires and climate change are the main topics of his murals known as “The Triptych of Hope“. Let’s discover them together!

The Murals of Monreale

“After the fires that took place last summer, which impacted me a lot, I thought about telling everyone what’s going on in our territory” – the artist explains. With this in mind, the street artist Igor Scalisi Palmintieri, who is well-known in Palermo for his artistic and social commitment, decided to create “The Triptych of Hope”.

The artwork consist of three vibrant murals located in three different hamlets of the municipality of Monreale (Pioppo, Aquino and Grisì), which have in common the themes of fire and hope. Using the author’s words: “Men have disappeared, only the damaged nature remains. However, Mother Earth is still there, giving us hope“.

Palmintieri reveals that he has freely drawn inspiration from the mosaics of the Monreale Cathedral. However, he used different interpretation keys. As a matter of fact, the ark represents the Church in the Cathedral’s mosaics, while in “The Triptych of Hope” it becomes a symbol of the Community understood as dwelling, as “protection, like the houses that burned last summer“.

Art as a Way to Raise Awareness

The key element of the artwork is hope, as suggested by its title. In fact, even though at first glance it might convey an apocalyptic perspective, it carries a profound message of trust, which necessarily involves raising awareness about these crucial and current issues.

Through the creation of “The Triptych of Hope”, Palmintieri aims to make people reflect on the consequences of climate change and global warming. As a matter of fact, in addition to the presence of fire, which represents the devastating fires that have ravaged the island, the theme of water is also recurrent, indirectly alluding to glacier melting.

The sensitivity and growing awareness of environmental issues are first and foremost demonstrated by the municipality of Monreale itself. It was indeed the residents who commissioned this project through Participatory Democracy tools.

It is an extremely important action that sends a message of hope, especially for young people. In fact, through his work, Palmintieri expresses his closeness to future generations.

“The Triptych of Hope” is a concrete example of how art can be an extremely powerful tool for reflection. In other words, it shows that the path of awareness is the right way to inspire communities and future generations to protect our planet.

The article Eco-Art in Sicily: The Triptych of Hope against Fires and Climate Change was originally posted on Ecobnb.

Our Planet has a fever. The effects of the ongoing climate change are devastating and, to some extent, can already be noticed. What might be the solutions? What can politics do?

Our Planet has recently reported the warmest day, week, and month of the last 120,000 years. Several countries are on alert because of the extreme heat. Italy has been facing record-breaking temperatures in the South and cloudbursts in the North. The skies of New York and North America have turned orange due to a toxic cloud, while millions of people are starving because of an unprecedented mega-drought in East Africa. They might seem like science fiction scenarios, yet they are not. Our Planet has a fever, and according to the World Health Organization, between 2030 and 2050 the direct and indirect effects of climate change will cause the death of 250,000 more people in a year.

Global warming is definitely not news. Human activities have been the main responsible for the huge emissions of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of the last century, and in the last few years, the consequences of climate change have become visible. According to the Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate of the Italian National Research Council, since 1900 there have only been 14 summers with above-average temperatures. 8 of these have been reported in the last twenty years and 6 in the last ten years. This should make us think and reflect!

The Effects Of Climate Change

Our Planet has a fever and it’s not only about the 2-degrees temperature increase: it is a way more serious matter.

The temperature increase which is worrying scientists all around the world refers to the average measured in different places of the world. The phenomenon as a whole is producing several disruptive effects, which are going to become more and more noticeable. For example:

• prolonged drought
• greater spread of fire
• melting glaciers
• rising sea levels and risk of unhinabitability for several cities
• growing extreme meteorological phenomena, such as heavy rainfalls, cloudbursts and disruptive winds
• deterioration of the quality of water and lack of water resources
• warming of the oceans
• extinction of several living species

What Can Politics Do?

If people are very much aware of what’s happening, this will definitely be of much help to politics, too.

Let me explain better. Knowing that we need to find a solution to what’s going on means giving our consent and approval to politicians to make better choices and not be hesitant about it.

What is certain is that, regardless of political beliefs, governments can do a lot to slow down climate change. For example:

• Introducing carbon taxes, because overcharging the most polluting products and services might be helpful for reducing greenhouse emissions.
• Encouraging green energy, for example by promoting the installation of photovoltaic panels and wind turbines.
• Stimulating public transport and non-polluting mobility, like electric vehicles that are powered by clean energy.
• Promoting “soft mobility”, by creating more secure walking and cycling routes, or by installing bike sharing stations.
• Developing more green areas and wetlands in big cities, in order to increase biodiversity and store water to use when needed.
• Investing in technology, motivating both companies and individuals to use technology to reduce waste of energy and water.
• Assisting organizations that are investing in a better future (for example, by investing in organic methods or green energy).

The problem is enormous, and politics should act immediately in order not to be ill-prepared. We must hurry, as bureaucratic times are not compatible with the rhythms of nature, in the most absolute ways.

What Can We Do?

We can also give our little contribution by making sensible choices which can have important consequences. Some of these are:

• eating less meat and choosing vegan or vegetarian menus
• avoiding waste of food, water, and energy
• choosing trains and other public transport instead of cars and airplanes
• going on foot or cycling whenever possible
• avoiding using the heating and the air conditioning, even when it’s hot
• using only energy that comes from renewable sources
• purchasing less and choosing second-hand objects
• cooking organic and local food and growing your own garden
• electing political representatives who are active and committed to stop global warming

These are baby steps, but if everyone makes an effort, they will definitely be of great help.

The Impact On Our Health

Global warming has a dramatic impact on our Planet, and it can also be very harmful to our health. As a matter of fact, it will lead to worse air quality. Consequently, life expectancy will go down, especially for the most vulnerable and elderly people. Moreover, outdoor activities might become a serious problem, there will be more and more un-arable land due to lack of water, and malnutrition and diseases related to food shortages will rise.

Our Planet has a fever, and we need to find a solution right away. Tomorrow will be too late!

The article Our Planet Has A Fever! was originally posted on Ecobnb.

Nowadays animal species are going extinct 100 times faster than in the past. Thousands of animals are on the verge of extinction due to pollution, the destruction of their habitat, and climate change. It is essential to change course, to promote biodiversity: let’s see why.

How many animals are endangered?

What does the word “extinction” mean? The term extinction indicates a natural phenomenon in which an animal species, following a slow but constant change, is replaced by the appearance of new species. It is not always a bad thing, but it should be a wake-up call.

The study carried out by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which every year publishes the Red List of endangered species, indicates over 42,000 endangered species between animals and plants.

The worst thing is that 515 of these species (including amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals) don’t reach 1,000 specimens in the whole world.

Why are they endangered?

What are the main causes which are leading to the extinction of these animal species? There are many causes. As far as large animals are concerned, like gorillas, elephants, rhinos, and tigers, illegal poaching has a huge influence. But other causes may be involved, such as, for polar bears, climate change, and the melting of the glaciers.

Let’s analyse in depth the causes that are leading towards the extinction of these animals.

Certainly, since the 19^th century, i.e. since the Industrial Revolution, there have been many important changes that are modifying ecosystems and accelerating climate change. Some of these drastic changes, which are causing the extinction of many animal species are:

1. Climate change: which has significantly increased the average temperature of the planet
2. Air pollution: nearly 25% of birds suffer serious damage each year due to air pollution
3. Marine pollution: according to WWF, every year about 600 tons of plastic and 500 tons of oil are introduced into our seas, and this causes the destruction of marine ecosystems and the death of many animals
4. Soil consumption: the exploitation of the land to build buildings and roads reduces the natural habitats available for animal species
5. Deforestation: the loss of ancient forests and huge green areas, such as the Amazon Rainforest, and fires create further problems for animals
6. Overexploitation of the planet’s resources: the excessive use of subsoil resources (oil and gas) contributes to the destruction of natural environments
7. Intensive uncontrolled hunting and fishing: as a consequence, animal species cannot survive and therefore reproduce

Endangered animal species in the whole world

Here there’s a list of some endangered species in the world and some solutions in order to preserve them:

• Spanish giant tortoise: the extinction of these tortoises found in the Galapagos Islands has been avoided thanks to a captive breeding program
• Borneo pangolin: this species, found in the forests of Southeast Asia, is fortunately protected because just a few specimens remain
• Vaquita: there seem to be only 12 specimens in the Gulf of California. However, they are constantly monitored to avoid permanent disappearance

Endangered animals in Italy

Here we analyse some endangered species in Italy and how the government and the associations are trying to save them:

• Alpine ibex: it had risked disappearing at the end of the 19^th century, but today it seems that this risk has been avoided and is now protected in the National Parks
• Wolf: in the 70s of the 20^th century it was an endangered species. However, thanks to excellent protection projects it has had a good increase
• Bats: they are a new entry since they have become an endangered species since 2017

In order to raise public awareness of this issue, the “World Animal Day” was established. It is held every year on October 4^th, on the occasion of the Day of Saint Francis (saint of animals). This day aims to celebrate and protect the rights of all animals in the world.

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The article Endangered animal species due to pollution and more was originally posted on Ecobnb.

Shakespeare’s verses spoke volumes about the environment and environmentalism. William Shakespeare did not use these only because these terms hadn’t been coined as neologisms at the time but much later. However, Shakespeare did have environmentally aware views inasmuch as these blends well with our own perceptions of the environmental issues right before us in the 21st century.

He used to write at the time of early colonialism, capitalism, globalized trade which were beginning to extend Western and notions of conquering the world and nature globally. His own vivid imagination helped Shakespeare to respond to this staggering societal growth, by way of recognizing the limitations humans had to face up to in their exploitation. The bio-integrity of ecosystems had to be preserved for the benefit of human civilization but surely Shakespeare acknowledged the earth’s overwhelming power to demolish all human effort to dominate it.

Shakespeare’s books mirror the contemporary environmental awareness partly because he writes about the unusually changeable weather at the time, caused (as we now know) by the cooling of the hemispheres. There were references to drowning rains and killing ice which indicate how the Elizabethans were bewildered with these natural turbulences in annual seasons. Earth-shattering storms and shipwrecking tempests feature far too often to go unnoticed in Shakespeare’s books as well.

Today these references in Shakespeare’s verses align well with global-warming crisis that tends to depict unfavourable weather conditions as rather common. These then go on to challenge the humans of the 21st century to rethink the climate reality around us.

Deforestation at the time was in its fledgling stage but also struggling advocates of conservation and sustainability emerged. It is self-evident that the ancient trees were named in an effort to preserve them from the industrial machines devouring them brutally. Sadly, royal forests were also replaced by the new industrial sawpits.

The bio-dynamic farming and green rotations of corn and rye supported ecological resilience and in so doing agricultural yields were boosted. New cultivation techniques were promoted which appeared even then to replace the old ones, regrettably. William Shakespeare mentioned all of these in his work. Environmental consequences were all of a sudden newly visible because they disturbed the resource-and-consumption balances.

The population grew rapidly in the 16th century, particularly in London. Prices skyrocketed when the high demand for timber for the purposes of building Shakespeare’s New Place in Stratford or small theatres in London. These new construction projects appear to have dangerously depleted the local woodlands. There were new fuel-intensive industries such as iron-making for cannons, or for firing glass for windows. There was heavy deforestation which followed which regrettably became the first major environmental crisis in the then England. Faced with the increase in the wood costs, householders at the time turned to coal, which was cheaper but visibly polluting heating alternative.  Through Shakespeare’s eyes, we glimpse the colossal change towards fossil fuels that has risen CO2 in the atmosphere to such high levels now so critically dangerous for the Planet Earth and the whole humankind in the 21st century.

The most pressing ecological threat which we see in Shakespeare’s plays may well be industrial militarization. Shakespeare writes about its multi-level destruction of human and non-human life in late-medieval English warfare and emerging imperial regimes. Apart from the iron-making which caused deforestation, all manner of guns and weaponry needed for instance saltpetre to produce gunpowder. It was made from composted manure taken from private barns and privies by government officers. These forced appropriations then ensued. Farmers made huge efforts to feed growing numbers of people and animals. And they appear to have instigated the first country-wide in England. Regrettably these prove to be unsuccessful environmental protests eventually.

These early modern collisions of economic, national, and environmental interests continue in the imbalance today in between creating local jobs or corporate profits whilst endangering environmental devastation and extinction.

Shakespeare is certainly our eco-contemporary in this day and age in that he envisaged today’s more urgent ecological threats

FURTHER READING

• R. Martin, Shakespeare and Ecology (Oxford 2015), ch. 3, 78-111.
• Dan Brayton, Shakespeare’s Ocean: An Ecocritical Introduction (Charlottesville and London, 2012)

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The article William Shakespeare the eco-warrior! was originally posted on Ecobnb.

Our planet is more alive than we used to think. Besides responding to human influence, the Earth goes through its process of change. Perhaps the biggest mistake we humans made is that we thought we could own parts of our planet. However, the global climate is changing and parts of the globe that were once cold are now getting warm. The oceans rise and soon certain coastal areas will become unhabitable. We have two options at this point: we start migrating as the climate changes or we try to influence global warming. It’s clear that the latter is a more reasonable option, so we have to consult science for help with climate change. Here are a few ideas that show how science can change global warming in our favor.

Maximizing the use of digital technology

These days students rely on digital technology more than ever. We can get online help from professional writers. However, besides figuring out how to write an essay, the digital world offers environmental benefits. Thanks to digital technology I can write my essays without the waste of paper. Cloud services allow students to collaborate on a project remotely. This means the chance to submit the best quality paper while working as a group online. It reduces the need for travel, printing, and other activities with a high carbon footprint.

The problem with digital technology is the use of electricity. Servers utilize electricity for power and cooling. The more digital solutions we use, the more servers we need to build. This is where scientists should put maximum effort to reduce the need for resources. New types of servers, internet connectivity, and memory devices could reduce the greenhouse effect by a lot.

Keeping the forests alive

We cut down trees at an industrial level for centuries. Trees produce oxygen, provide living space for
other animals, and offer other environmental benefits. We are reaching the point where deforestation is
a serious climate issue. To keep the forests alive, we need to adopt alternative solutions. This includes
finding new ways to use tree processing residue, old paper, and different plants. These methods won’t
end deforestation but put it on a reasonable level. Forests will have enough time to recuperate and that
would reduce the negative effect on our climate.

Thanks to advances in genetic research, scientists could create advanced species of trees. Some are
more resilient, grow faster, or multiply at a rapid pace. This would allow us to plant massive forests in
those areas where trees naturally don’t grow that successfully.

Keeping the oceans clean

Our oceans are home to species that also have a significant influence on Earth’s climate. These organisms produce oxygen, provide food for each other, and influence hot and cold-water circulation. If we continue to pollute our oceans we could irreversibly destroy the marine flora and fauna. Scientists are working on new ways to protect and clean our waters, but more effort is needed.

The Ocean Cleanup Project is a group endeavor to get rid of the plastic that pollutes our oceans. Thanks to gigantic nets, epically designed to pick up the plastic we can make our oceans safe for animals and
plants that live in the Pacific and other large bodies of water. This non-profit organization also tends to
prevent future pollution with its new models. Scientists and engineers develop systems that should get
rid of up to 90 percent of the pollution.

Changing the food industry

The global population is growing at a significant rate. This is thanks to the higher standard of living, better healthcare systems, and more affordable housing. This, however, means we need to produce more food. Farms are industrializing food production, thus increasing carbon emissions. Plant-based nutrition is a good alternative, but humans need meat in their diet, as well.

Luckily, scientists are figuring out ways to create meat away from cattle farms. Artificial Intelligence, combined with genetic research allows us to enjoy 3D-printed meat. This technology is still not affordable to a wide population, however. It’s up to the scientific community to make this technology less costly, so it could replace cattle farms as we know them today.

Conclusion

Our planet is more than just a rock that floats through space. It has a pulse of its own, and we need to be careful not to disrupt its pace. Scientists are becoming more aware of their role in protecting the climate. The advancements in digital technology, genetics, and engineering are our best hope for the preservation of our Earth. As we can see, a lot of effort is being made, and more improvements are coming soon, too.

Author Bio: Cory Shilling is a copywriter dedicated to different topics. Cory writes pieces that inform and entertain the readers. Her work is based on information that comes from reliable sources of data. She enjoys sharing practical pieces of information that improve the everyday lives of her audience.

The article A Student’s View: How Science Can Change Global Warming was originally posted on Ecobnb.

We know, forests are one of man’s main allies to prevent global warming. Coming to cover 31% of the Earth’s land surface, the woods constitute the habitat for 75% of biodiversity.

The role of forests is therefore fundamental to allow the balanced survival of the various animal and plant species on earth. At the same time, these green lungs store CO2 and are therefore an important weapon to combat climate change.

But what is the state of health of the woods? Will forests really be able to make an impact in the fight against global warming? Find out by continuing to read this article.

Forests and Climate

Forests and climate are linked: forest loss and degradation are both a cause and an effect of climate change. On the one hand, forests help to mitigate climate change. They act by subtracting carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and transforming it, through photosynthesis, into carbon. Carbon is then stored in the form of wood and vegetation. On the other hand, the ongoing climate change is rapidly damaging forests. Sectors such as agriculture and livestock farming account for about a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions.

A Small Part Of The Solution

According to some studies, forests are in trouble due to fires, droughts, and the many problems created by global warming. For this reason, forests alone cannot stop the powerful climate change taking place. According to the research published by the biologist Francesco Rovero, in the last 30 years the CO2 absorption capacity of the Amazon and African rainforests has decreased by more than 30%.

It can therefore be said that forests are only the ‘tip of the iceberg‘ of a much wider process. Without them, the fight against global warming would not be feasible, but relying on them alone is not enough.

The False Myth Of Afforestation

The zeroing of global CO2 emissions into the atmosphere by 2050, set in global and European targets, could require a reforestation plan of at least 1,6 billion hectares. That area would be 5 times larger than India and greater than the extent of all agricultural land on the planet.

‘It is not enough!‘ – is what is being denounced by environmental associations such as Oxfam, which targets programs that involve the planting of trees as compensation for pollution. ‘It’s an unrealistic and dangerous plan, based on hardly measurable commitments by governments and companies: if the approach remains the current one, the intensive use of land for compensation purposes by the big polluters will lead to an increase in hunger and inequalities in the world ‘.

A small country like Switzerland would need the entire island of Puerto Rico to plant the necessary number of trees to reach the ‘zero emissions target. A nation like Colombia would have to reforest a million hectares by 2030, while deforestation rates continue to increase.

Planting trees in poor countries is not a sustainable solution, because it forces the local communities to reduce the cultivated fields, and these small farmers and indigenous people in the poorest countries are already brought to their knees by increasingly extreme and unpredictable climatic events.

For this reason, it is essential to focus efforts on the effective reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in a short time, as well as on the protection of the forests that are in their own territories.

Too Big A Challenge

Forests play a crucial role in the global carbon cycle and in the mitigation of global warming, as well as in protecting soil from erosion and supporting biodiversity. Maintaining these functions requires a certain level of resilience, understood as the ability to withstand and recover from environmental disturbances.
However, forest resilience has declined in recent years and will continue to decline. This fragility of the planet’s green lungs could lead to the collapse of the entire ecosystem.

Conclusions

To cope with the climate emergency it will not be enough to plant trees, but radical changes in our lifestyle will be necessary. It will be necessary to reduce waste, make more use of renewable energies and make transport systems more efficient and environmentally friendly. We are all called to do something soon!

The article Forests: Are They Enough Against Global Warming? was originally posted on Ecobnb.

Climate change will make some places on Earth uninhabitable within the next 30-50 years. This theory is supported by a NASA study that underlined the dangers for humans from a rise of average temperatures. If the phenomenon will continue, some places on our planet will reach climatic conditions that are incompatible with human life.

Heat index

To understand in which areas it will be impossible to live, the American space agency used the heat index, a measure of the air temperature perceived by our body, taking into account relative humidity. The calculation takes into account shaded areas and reflects how uncomfortable we feel when it is hot and humid.

The heat index, however, needs a calibration. So, it is a measure, at least in part, subjective. Different countries use different versions that lead to different results. This is the reason why scientists use another variable, the wet-bulb temperature.

La temperatura a bulbo umido

This measure allows us to understand our body’s ability to cool itself through sweating when the weather is hot and humid. So, the index tells us when weather conditions can become harmful to human health.

The wet-bulb temperature is calculated using measurements from the electronic instruments of weather stations. Scientists believe that the highest wet-bulb temperature index a human being can resist is 35 degrees Celsius (or 95 degrees Fahrenheit) for a period of six consecutive hours.

These temperatures are rising all over the world and the limit has already been passed on several occasions. In particular, since 2005, it has happened nine times and with more and more frequency.

Studies have produced some remarkable results. The hotter it gets, the more our body struggles and the more it needs to sweat to cool itself down. When the wet-bulb temperature comes close to the internal temperature, the ability to cool down is lost. This provokes changes in the body and the consequences can be lethal.

The American space agency has also underlined that the risks of death also exist for temperatures lower than 35 degrees Celsius. To give just one example, the heat wave that hit the United States in 2021 killed about 1,400 people, despite the fact that the wet-bulb was not higher than the maximum limit.

Future Predictions

Despite the quality and sophistication of the studies, it is very complex to accurately predict when global humid temperatures will regularly surpass 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees Celsius) and therefore when climate change will make places uninhabitable. This is a gradual process that happens at different times in different places.

However, it is possible to make a prediction: some regions could surpass these temperatures in the next 30-50 years.

In particular, the areas that are most at risk by 2050 are South Asia, the Persian Gulf, and the Red Sea.

Extending the horizon to 2070, Eastern China, Brazil, and some areas of South-East Asia are among the countries at risk.

This NASA study is just the latest warning of the catastrophic consequences of climate change for humanity. It is time to act! 

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The article Climate change will make some places uninhabitable! was originally posted on Ecobnb.

It is known that climate change has negative and irreversible repercussions on our Planet, but how will it affect our lives? A study by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), entitled “Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability“, analyzed in detail how climate change will change our lives.

The negative impacts of global warming are hindering the efforts toward sustainable development. Therefore, it is essential to increase the production of green energy and limit the use of fossil fuels to reduce emissions by 45% by 2030. Antonello Pasini, climatologist and professor of climate physics, comments:

“We need to act quickly and study mitigation and structural adaptation actions to mitigate the long-term detrimental effects”.

The impact of climate change on Europe and the Mediterranean area

The study analyzes critical issues on a local scale, identifying ways to adapt and risks that cannot be avoided. For example, Piero Lionella, a member of the CMCC (Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change), explains that the Mediterranean area tends to warm up more than average, and the reduction in rainfall increases the risk of dryness. Added to this are the concentration of the population in urban areas, the threat of rising seas, and the rise in temperature that threatens tourism and marine ecosystems.

Green buildings and sustainable means of transportation improve the sustainability of cities (Photo via Canva Pro)

Sustainable cities could be the solution. Indeed, green buildings, renewable energy, and sustainable transport systems can reduce the impacts of climate change in cities.

The impact of climate change on our lives

A Lancet study surveyed 10,000 young people between the ages of 16 and 25 and revealed that the vast majority are very concerned about climate change and how it will change our lives.

Climate change is an imminent problem and mitigation plans are needed (Photo via Canva Pro)

The report considers short-term (today-2040), medium-term (2041-2060), and long-term (2081-2100). The study anticipates that, by 2100, the population exposed to heat stress will increase from 30% to 76%. Water scarcity will be a problem for 3 billion people, and hunger will touch 80 million people. In addition, some areas will become uninhabitable.

A plan for resilience

IPCC scientists have come up with a possible solution. The resilience plan has been called “Climate Resilient Development” and combines adaptation actions to mitigate climate change and negative repercussions that affect not only the Planet but also our lives. Despite this, these mitigation actions need to be constantly reviewed over the years to be effective.

The IPCC resilience plan

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The article How Climate Change will affect our Lives was originally posted on Ecobnb.

Forests absorb a large amount of carbon in a way that is clearly superior to other terrestrial ecosystems. So, forests could represent a solution to mitigate climate change, which has been afflicting our planet for a long time, and to which there is still no solution. Can we really consider forests the solution or are we just convincing ourselves that we have the winning weapon?

The role of forests to mitigate climate change

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Trees and forests have always played an important role in the balance of the biosphere as they absorb billions of tons of carbon dioxide, regulate the water cycle and stabilize the climate, mitigating temperatures. Forests are currently in danger, but many people wonder if their restoration and increase can not only reduce the loss of biodiversity but even stop climate change.
Forests, through “carbon sequestration”, convert carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into carbon that is subsequently stored. The “power” of photosynthesis held by plants, and therefore exercised by forests, has created an illusion: forests are the solution to climate change. However, it is necessary to take into account that forests could die because of events such as droughts, fires, and storms. Obviously, the death of forests is a problem because of the amount of carbon they store.

The advantages of afforestation and reforestation

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First of all, it is necessary to protect existing forests and woodlands in order to preserve these fundamental ecosystems.

Afforestation plays a fundamental role. This practice consists of environmental repowering of degraded forest areas which have been ruined by deforestation or improper and excessive exploitation of the resource.
The term afforestation refers to the planting of a forest on land bare of woody vegetation.

Another solution is reforestation, which is the reconstitution of a destroyed forest or woodland. The two practices are similar, in fact, the difference is only in the timing. Afforestation refers to the transformation of areas not covered by forests for at least 50 years. These two practices, combined with the protection of existing forests and forelands and responsible management of forests, are effective tools to counteract the excessive increase in temperatures.

The disadvantages of afforestation and reforestation

Both the practices discussed have a “dark side” to consider. So, we should consider the power that renewed forests could acquire, even a substitution is not enough. New forests, in fact, differ from older ones in biodiversity and carbon sequestration capacity. Moreover, the implementation of forests in the battle against climate change must not lead us to think that we can solve the problem without eliminating the use of fossil fuels. Forests must be a piece of a mosaic of tools aimed at solving the worrying climate condition. Finally, we must remember that generalizing in nature is never a good thing. We often forget how unique nature is and that the responses to the same intervention are not always equivalent.

Conclusions

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The ecosystem balances are very complex and so many variables contribute to climate change. Forests are a good solution to mitigate climate change but alone they aren’t enough. Good intentions are not enough: forests are part of the solution but they are not “the” solution; moreover, they must not represent a distraction from the search for a real solution.

The article Forests to Mitigate Climate Change: Solution or Illusion? was originally posted on Ecobnb.

Sustainable forest management is a necessary condition to mitigate climate change; however, it is not sufficient. In order for forests to help stabilize the climate, further measures are needed, including the expansion of forest land, the reduction of deforestation, and governmental commitments.

What is the problem?

Earth is presently facing the destructive effects of global warming, the permanent change in the planet’s overall temperature.
This situation is believed to be primarily caused by human activities; indeed, carbon dioxide (CO2) levels have rocketed since the industrial revolution in 1950. The reasons for the accelerating harmful effects of CO2 emissions include the burning of fossil fuels, animal waste, and deforestation.

The level of CO2 emissions from 800 thousands of years ago until the historical peak that started with the industrial revolution (1950) and is still soaring today (fonte: Nasa)

The increase in the levels of carbon dioxide is causing the melting of polar caps, the acidification of oceans, and natural disasters that are becoming more frequent and intense. Consequently, plants and animals are struggling to adapt to climate change and, without them, no human being can exist anymore.

Why are forests important in mitigating climate change?

Together with oceans, forests are able to limit the emissions of carbon dioxide and mitigate climate change. Nevertheless, in only a couple of thousands of years, humans have wiped out 80% of Earth’s original forest cover.

The reason why forests are fundamental is not only because they protect ecosystems, but also because the photosynthesis process allows plants and trees to absorb the CO2 in excess, which is in turn used to grow branches and produce fruits.

CO2 is converted into oxygen through the photosynthesis process (photo in the background by Ivan Knyazev, via Unsplash)

Hence, forests represent a natural solution to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere and prevent the adverse consequences of global warming.

What is a potential solution against deforestation?

Afforestation, the expansion of land dedicated to forest use, represents a potential solution to lower carbon dioxide levels. However, the artificial expansion of forestry resources poses the risk of decreasing biodiversity without absorbing a significant amount of CO2.

The main problem is that afforestation projects have favored the cultivation of monocultures, thus threatening the variety of animals and plants. Furthermore, for forests to be capable of mitigating climate change, afforestation projects must be viewed with particular attention to ensure compliance with systemic and technical details.
Nevertheless, without forests, the climate crisis would have effects that are even more intense.

How can we contribute?

Daily, in our small way, we can contribute to climate change mitigation by adopting a more sustainable lifestyle.

1. Following a plant-based diet to reduce the consumption of meat;
2. Shifting to renewable energy, such as solar panels;
3. Reducing the use of cars, or using electric vehicles;
4. Recycling;
5. Supporting forestation’s projects

And, more importantly, spreading knowledge and concerns about the climate crisis.

The article Climate Change: Forests as a Mitigating Factor was originally posted on Ecobnb.